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c166: Interlude　 Even in a Dark Clouded World
nakedsingularitytrans12-15 minutes 22.07.2022
After the sky turned black, the world became enveloped in panic.
It became such that monsters overflowed and, crops couldn’t be grown.
At this rate, it would be difficult to make it through winter.
I let out a sigh, looking up from the mansion at the sky dyed in darkness.
「Fuaa」
「Ara, pardon me please. Did mama letting out such a sigh, anger Silvi?」
I rub my cheeks together with the Silvi I’m holding to my chest.
Her cheeks soften as a happy sounding voice going kyaa kya rises toward me.
Silvi is cute.
When I think that she’s Alice’s child, I can’t stop my love from overflowing.
That woman’s appearance has a charm to it doesn’t it.
「Eclair-sama, is your condition well?」
「You’re a worrywart aren’t you, Noa. It was only a single time vomiting from morning sickness」
「I’ll worry. Since, following Silvis-sama, Lumina-sama is hope for us members of the mansion」
Alice is a half elf so, her life span should be fairly long but, I suppose for a successor to be born certainly is hope for the house.
「It’s fine. Since Eclair is also looking forward to meeting this child. Care is being taken.」
「Then, that’s fine but」
Taking care not to drop the spirited Silvi, I softly rub her stomach with one hand.
「More importantly, how is the royal capital? Is it okay?」
「The people outside the outer walls are all being accepted into churches and the like due to princess-denka’s policy but, they’re clearly over capacity」
Even so, monsters are overflowing outside the castle walls.
「A deadlock isn’t this」
「Being able to at least ensure safety within the castle walls is a blessing. Our knights and soldiers are fighting hard」
「After that woman played one more move, they’re firmly doing their best in that area aren’t they」
But our fields stretch out beyond the castle walls, and we can’t rely on imports if the whole world is in this state.
To begin with, it’s impossible to go from town to town at less than knight class.
Not just the peddlers, we can’t even move around at the caravan class.
If we don’t solve this promptly, humanity really won’t be able to survive.
「Noa, grant entry to the mansion for as many sick and injured as we can」
「I understand Eclair-sama, but only within the limits of what the people of the mansion can handle」
「Since it’s meaningless if we also collapse isn’t it, I understand」
Noa is realistic as always.
The children of this mansion have experience from the previous war, and they’re elites even within the royal capital, I want us to offer to contribute as much as we can.
「Myan is?」
「The first in line is leading the first regiment, fourth regiment, and fifth regiment who are out scouting for threats up to the surrounding villages」
「Then the one running this mansion right now is you right, Noa」
「That is correct」
「Is it fine to always be with Eclair」
「That is our most important mission. Regarding commands, I can issue them from here so」
Overprotective.
I display a shrug but, Noa won’t move.
「Ara?」
I happened to look out the window and, Rin was pulling Saira along out to the courtyard.
Saira’s tired enough for me to know even looking at a distance.
The Rin dragging out such a Saira was being considerate enough to put adults to shame.
The overly perseverant Saira does not know that which is rest.
Therefore Rin forcibly brought her out to play for a break.
Even with this much happening in the world, everyone’s way of living continues.
「If we don’t build a place where children can be children, it’ll be a real problem won’t it, Alice」
My chest grows tight when I try calling her name.
「Since I won’t forgive you if you die」
I won’t forgive you if you vanish without ever seeing Lumina’s face.
I’m irritated at my own position that couldn’t go with you.
「Seriously, that idiot is thoughtless night after night

ah」
「

」
Noa averted her face.
My face grew hot.
This and that are all Alice’s fault!
「――I will be intruding」
The room’s door suddenly opens and, that woman――Krancesca comes in.
The maids in front of the room were panicking.
Maa, they couldn’t have stopped her could they have.
「Poor etiquette for someone who is to be a sovereign lord isn’t that」
「Ara? Is there a need to be respectful about coming back to one’s own home?」
「Well now? Was this your home?」
「This is the house where my own child waits so, is it not fine to call this my home?」
「She’s Alice’s child」
「She’s my child as well is she not」
「――Fue」
Silvi’s face distorts at us quarreling as soon as we meet.
「Ah, ara ara Silvi」
I sway her and kindly back and forth and, somehow her mood recovered.
「

Let’s stop, in front of the baby」
「

Yes I suppose so」
Krancesca comes over and, draws close to Silvi’s face.
It’s frustrating but, they do look alike don’t they.
「I am put at ease. She loves, that which is you does she not」
「

Are you sleeping properly?」
I return her question with a question.
She can’t obfuscate the bags below her eyes.
「Fufu, I cannot be frugal with my efforts if it’s to be in a world where Silvi can sleep」
「You, if you don’t show your face now and then your own child will forget you you know」
「That is

as you say is it not

Would it perhaps be okay, for me to hold her?」
Why are you holding back.
But isn’t she your child.
「You should hold her」
Krancesca slowly lifted Silvi up.
Silvi somehow seemed to be happy.
Perhaps she really does know her true mother.
Babies are amazing.
Krancesca stood like that, without saying anything.
That face that gazed upon Silvi, somehow looking at that dignity as a mother makes me jealous.
For a while, time passes without anyone saying anything.
And so, Krancesca softly passed Silvi to me and turned her back.
「I have intruded」
「

Krancesca」
「Hai, Eclair」
「Don’t make Silvi cry」
「I will take that to heart」
Krancesca went back in an elegant flurry.
「From the previous turmoil to the war, and on top of that the abnormality of this world. The princess-denka can’t get any rest can she」
「Though saying that, there’s nothing but to have it be done for now. If Alice returns, surely it’d be fine to pamper her a little」
Just a little, I’ll lend her to you.
――At that time, the barrier protecting the mansion produced a sound and broke down.
「What is this」
I check out the window and, there’s 1 ominous monster flying in the sky.
I hurriedly put Silvi to sleep on the bed and start to leave the room and, Noa stood in my way at the door.
「I absolutely won’t let you go」
「I can at least shoot magic」
「Can you dodge attacks?」
「I’ve been bad at dodging like Alice from the start though haven’t I」
「I absolutely won’t let you go」
「I understand okay, seriously」
Then, there’s nothing but to protect Silvi here is there.
I turn my eyes out the window once again and, the combat maids were swiftly flying out.
◇■◇■◇
「Is this not, fortunate. To think that I would chance upon such a happening, when I went to see Silvi’s face」
I can do the act of protecting my own child with this hand so, you could say I’m upholding my dignity as her mother.
I pull the magic sword Cor・Di・Sol out from my waist.
I run out into the courtyard and, as Rin spreads her hands in front so as to cover Saira from the monster in the air above, Saira embraces Rin from behind so as to cover her.
My face ends up smiling at that scene even if I shouldn’t.
「Nn? You, master’s enemy?」
「Ara, are you not Eclair’s cute dragon-chan」
Was she called Blue Lady?
「Master’s enemy, strike down」
「Right now, is that not the one-over-there-sama?」
I point my rapier to the sky and, dragon-chan reluctantly nodded.
The battle maids of Alice’s mansion had already gathered in the courtyard.
For just being entrusted with watching her home while she’s away, they’re excellently skilled.
「Archers, magicians, please shoot down that monster! We must not allow such intruding into ojou-sama’s mansion without notice!」
The weapon held by the maid child throwing out instructions with vigor is, a staff?
Does this perhaps mean this child is the child next in the mansion’s line after Noa?
「Perhaps, are you in command?」
「Haa, Princess-denka!」
A maid child who politely displays her etiquette.
「By your leave, in Myan-sama, Uruka-sama and Noa-sama’s place, battle command has been left to me!」
First is Myan.
1st regiment is Uruka.
2nd regiment is Noa.
It was said that Myan and Uruka are scouting for threats and, Noa can’t separate from Eclair and Silvi.
Given this, this child is the 3rd regiment’s child then.
「Your name is?」
「I am called Mei!」
I see, the commander of the 3rd regiment that saw that hell.


In that case, I can trust her more than anyone then.
「How shall we move?」
「Ha?」
「We will obey your direction」
Her eyes were confused but, as expected those who return from the battlefield are fast in judgement.
She quickly recovered her thoughts.
「

Then, princess-denka, please protect Saira-sama and Rin-sama. Direct attacks will be by us」
「Then, let us do so」
I look to the sky and, the other combat maids were already showering the monster with concentrated attacks.
It’s such an attack where normally this would already by over but, I suppose if it were such a monster it wouldn’t be able to destroy the barrier.
I fall back.
「Pri, princess-denka

! It, it’s dangerous, here-nya」
「Something like a place that isn’t dangerous, isn’t anywhere in this current world, Saira」
「That’s right Saira! Rin will give her protection!」
「Fufu, are you not a reliable knight-sama」
Saira’s ears droop, at Rin’s gallantry.
「Unyaa

Rin-san, shall we enter the mansion?」
「No good! If we don’t protect, Silvi!」
She really is reliable isn’t she.
Her attentiveness is vague like a child’s though.
「――Hha!」
I repel with my rapier a magic bullet that came from the indiscriminate attacks from the sky.
「Inattentiveness is your greatest enemy, Rin」
「Wa, wa. Princess-chan, incredible!」
Princess-chan.
「Fufu. I am properly watching our surroundings you know」
Now then, what level was that power at.
To say that my guard hasn’t come yet, the chance that battles are occurring even about the perimeter of the mansion is high.
According to Alice’s latest report it’s said that the 666 beasts of ruin are overflowing so, I suppose it should be best to think that to be so then.
「Mei is

as expected is she not」
Bathed in unrelenting long range attacks, the monster’s movement has meticulous care in execution.
But attacks at this current level are no more than an impediment.
It won’t become a decisive blow.
What shall we do?
Seeming to think the same thing, Mei is concentrating with her staff set to some purpose.
What might she do?
She won’t reach at that range.


Is this not quite interesting.
「――YAAAAAAAA!!!」
With a scream of fighting spirit, Mei swings her staff down.
That length greatly increases.
Catching the monster in the sky above unprepared, it takes Mei’s attack directly.
Shortly thereafter, it strikes the ground.
「Now! Make sure to not let it escape!」
The close combat unit had rushed in, before hearing Mei’s instructions.
Shortly thereafter the monster gave a death roar and, crumbled.
「Was that not excellently done」
Hearing that praise, Rin crossed her arms and puffed her chest while seeming happy.
「Fufu-n, that Mei’s weapon you see? Saira built it you know!」
「Maa, it is excellent is it not」
「Tha, that

makes me embarrassed nya」
The Saira scratching her head like she was embarrassed, soon had a clouded expression.
「Weapons are, things people entrust their lives to nya. Thinking of that, something like good enough is

」
There’s a lot to it isn’t there.
「We are always being saved by you, are we not」
Saira raised her face as if she was surprised.
「By the way Saira. I on that day, did I properly say my thanks? Despite my gratitude, I have memory of not having properly said my thanks from my own mouth」
「Tha, that’s

something presumptuous nya」
「No, Saira. People who do not have discretion in their manners bring misfortune to themselves and those around them. At the least, I believe Alice was angry」
Saira and Rin nodded in a, certainly.
「As such, while including many emotions what I now convey is――――Thank you, Saira」
I straighten my spine and state my thanks and, from Saira’s ears to her tail she went buwaa and her hair stood on end.
「A, awa

ha, hai」
Looking at the faintly crying Saira, I show a smile.
「Princess-chan too! Thank you for giving your protection to Rin’s group!」
「Fufu, you are welcome」
Returning my magic sword to its scabbard, I met eyes with the dragon-chan making a yawn.
She turns her back as if she isn’t interested in me.
I try looking further about and there’s, the team that’s already repairing the mansion’s barrier and, the team gathered to discuss security.
The healer team and, lifestyle group are also frenetically moving about.
「Really, this is, the place in the world where I can most be at ease」
You should push forward with peace of mind, Alice.
Until you can return here, we will surely be okay.